Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) vs Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | THC | 3.1% revenue growth vs CCRN's -33.5% |
| Value | THC | Lower P/E (14.1x vs 106.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | THC | 6.6% net margin vs CCRN's -1.4% |
| Stability / Safety | CCRN | Beta 0.43 vs THC's 0.93, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | THC | +89.1% vs CCRN's -49.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | THC | 4.7% ROA vs CCRN's -2.9%, ROIC 13.5% vs -3.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Cross Country Healthcare is a healthcare staffing and workforce solutions company that provides temporary and permanent placement of clinical professionals. It generates revenue primarily from nurse and allied staffing services — which account for the majority of its business — along with physician staffing and workforce management solutions. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive national network and deep healthcare industry expertise, which enables it to efficiently match qualified professionals with healthcare facilities facing staffing shortages.
Tenet Healthcare is a diversified healthcare services company that operates hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and urgent care facilities. It generates revenue primarily from hospital operations (acute care services) and ambulatory care centers, with additional income from its Conifer segment providing revenue cycle management services to other healthcare providers. The company's scale and integrated network of facilities across multiple states create operational efficiencies and referral pathways that serve as its competitive advantage.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
THC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CCRN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
THC is the larger business by revenue, generating $21.3B annually — 18.9x CCRN's $1.1B. THC is the more profitable business, keeping 6.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CCRN's -1.4%. On growth, THC holds the edge at +9.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $21.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $360,000 | $4.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$16M | $1.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $46M | $2.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +20.2% | +55.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | +16.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | +6.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.1% | +11.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -20.6% | +9.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.9% | +27.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, THC's 7.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CCRN's 319.8x.
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $281M | $21.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $203M | $31.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -19.77x | 15.45x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 106.36x | 14.12x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.47x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 319.77x | 7.17x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.21x | 0.99x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.69x | 2.42x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 2.52x | 8.32x |
Profitability & Efficiency
THC delivers a 15.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $-4 for CCRN. CCRN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to THC's 1.47x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), THC scores 7/9 vs CCRN's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.8% | +15.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.9% | +4.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -3.2% | +13.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.4% | +14.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 1.47x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$78M | $10.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $82M | $2.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4M | $13.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -4.55x | 5.85x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in THC five years ago would be worth $45,270 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,336 for CCRN. Over the past 12 months, THC leads with a +89.1% total return vs CCRN's -49.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors THC at 59.9% vs CCRN's -31.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.9% | +20.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -49.3% | +89.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -67.1% | +309.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -26.6% | +352.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.9% | +864.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.0% | +59.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CCRN is the less volatile stock with a 0.43 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than THC's 0.93 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. THC currently trades 99.5% from its 52-week high vs CCRN's 50.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.43x | 0.93x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.30 | $240.57 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.43 | $109.82 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +50.3% | +99.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.2 | 74.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 490K | 826K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CCRN as "Hold" and THC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 14.1% upside for CCRN (target: $10) vs 7.5% for THC (target: $257).
| Metric | CCRNCross Country Hea… | THCTenet Healthcare … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $9.93 | $257.45 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 13 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +13.3% | +6.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Healt… (CCRN) | 100 | 97.16 | -2.8% |
| Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) | 100 | 662.08 | +562.1% |
Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) returned +353% over 5 years vs Cross Country Healt… (CCRN)'s -27%. A $10,000 investment in THC 5 years ago would be worth $45,270 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Healt… (CCRN) | $834M | $1.3B | +61.2% |
| Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) | $19.6B | $21.3B | +8.6% |
Tenet Healthcare Corporation's revenue grew from $19.6B (2016) to $21.3B (2025) — a 0.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Healt… (CCRN) | 1.0% | -1.1% | -213.3% |
| Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) | -1.0% | 6.6% | +774.8% |
Tenet Healthcare Corporation's net margin went from -1% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Healt… (CCRN) | 12.6 | 11 | -12.7% |
| Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) | 16 | 12.8 | -20.0% |
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. has traded in a 5x–13x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-20x. Tenet Healthcare Corporation has traded in a 4x–16x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~15x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Healt… (CCRN) | 0.15 | -0.44 | -393.3% |
| Tenet Healthcare Co… (THC) | -1.93 | 15.49 | +902.6% |
Tenet Healthcare Corporation's EPS grew from $-1.93 (2016) to $15.49 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. generated $111M FCF in 2024 (+220% vs 2021). Tenet Healthcare Corporation generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+178% vs 2021).
CCRN vs THC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CCRN or THC a better buy right now?
Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) offers the better valuation at 15.5x trailing P/E (14.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) a "Buy" — based on 32 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — CCRN or THC?
On forward P/E, Tenet Healthcare Corporation is actually cheaper at 14.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CCRN or THC?
Over the past 5 years, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) delivered a total return of +352.7%, compared to -26.6% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN). A $10,000 investment in THC five years ago would be worth approximately $45K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: THC returned +864.5% versus CCRN's -29.9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CCRN or THC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.43β versus Tenet Healthcare Corporation's 0.93β — meaning THC is approximately 117% more volatile than CCRN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 147% for Tenet Healthcare Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CCRN or THC?
Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) is the more profitable company, earning 6.6% net margin versus -1.1% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: THC leads at 16.5% versus -1.3% for CCRN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — THC leads at 41.4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is CCRN or THC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) trades at 14.1x forward P/E versus 106.4x for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. — 92.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CCRN: 14.1% to $9.93.
07Which pays a better dividend — CCRN or THC?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is CCRN or THC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.93), +864.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (THC: +864.5%, CCRN: -29.9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between CCRN and THC?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: CCRN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; THC is a mid-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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